Ingredients

Mace

Mace

The ingredient

Mace is the lacy aril that envelops the nutmeg seed, with a bright red to orange hue when fresh that turns more yellow when dried. It tastes similar to nutmeg but is slightly sharper and more pungent. Mace is often used in savory dishes, imparting a delicate, spicy flavor.

The benefits

Like nutmeg, Mace is used in Aurvedic medicine to enhance digestion and appetite. It’s regarded as particularly good at balancing vata (air and space) and pitta (fire and water) doshas (energies or substances). It’s also used to soothe the nervous system. Some research studies have supported possible benefits of mace including:

  • Improves digestive health
  • Enhances cognitive function
  • Contains antioxidants that protect against free radical damage

Cooking

We use mace in many of our dishes, including: